Check out these essential smartphone companions

Do you remember your first smartphone app? The countless hours we’ve all spent playing paper bin toss and admiring those really lifelike Zippo simulators? Isn’t it amazing how far we’ve come in terms of technological marvels that we can experience on our phones every day? Booking your next holiday trip, doing your bank statement, ordering your groceries - there’s probably nothing you can’t do on your phone. Thing is, high end smartphone hardware can cost a lot of money, and it’s in your best interest to take good care of your mobile phone. We’ve assembled some must-have accessories and good-to-knows that’ll keep your phone in good shape for a long time.

Charging your phone the right way. Almost every modern-day mobile phone is equipped with a lithium-ion-batttery. Lithium-ion ist the go-to technology simply because it’s affordable, provides your phone with hours of energy and can go through hundreds of charging cycles during its lifespan. But there’s some things to keep in mind: lit-ion batteries feel most comfortable when charged in a range from 20 to approx. 80 percent. So it’s neither a good idea to keep your phone plugged over night nor depleting it to zero charge as both will do harm to the battery’s lifespan. So trust us when we say it’s better to charge your phone more often, but for shorter spans.

Finding the right smartphone case is, put simply, a very personal choice. There’s full covers that you’d have to flip open to access your phone’s screen. While they offer superior protection to the screen glass and often hold additional compartments for small stuff like business cards or your driver ID, they can also be a bit of a chore when holding your phone to your ear, since the front cover can potentially prove uncomfortable when tangling to the side of your head. That’s why there’s sole back cover cases wildly available. They won’t protect your phone’s screen so when you take that route make sure to buy some additional screen protection foils. They’re cheap and easy to attach and will keep your screen from getting ugly scratches. It doesn’t really matter, by the way, if you choose organic materials like leather or silicone/rubber covers as both will keep your phone safely protected. Leather covers will look worn out after some time, though, and rubber will provide a bit more shock protection - should you happen to accidentally drop your phone.

The thing with the headphones might soon be a thing of the past — as more and more phone manufacturers supply you with wireless earplugs operating on Bluetooth. But as long as there’s wired headphones, there’ll be tangled messes in our purses. A small headphone satchel can be just the helper you need — check out, for example, this little fella by Hama, found on Amazon for EUR 5,99. Measuring a handy 7 centimeters in diameter, it’s a perfect fit for every clutch or small purse. Stow your wired earplugs in there and the tangly wire mess is definitely a thing of the past.